Voter ID author confident of eventual passage

Rep. Patricia Harless, R-Spring, expressed disappointment – and understanding – this afternoon after a Democratic colleague temporarily knocked down her Voter ID bill because of a technical defect.

Rep. Patricia Harless

The legislation headed back to a committee Monday, and she may get to restart the debate as early as Wednesday.

About an hour into consideration of SB 14 – the Voter ID bill – Rep. Armando “Mando” Martinez, D-Weslaco, called a point of order on the legislation. A “point of order” basically alleges an error or a violation of House rules in the drafting of the bill. In this case, Martinez pointed out that a voter has six days to provide a photo identification if he or she shows up at a voting station without it. The voter can cast a provisional ballot until he or she returns with photo identification.

A bill analysis accompanying the bill indicated a voter has six business days to provide photo identification – not six calendar days.

“This bill will pass. We want it to be the best legislation possible, so any type of discrepancy that may not be clear (must be cleaned up),” Harless said. “I am glad that we’re getting them cleaned up now.”

The lawmaker said House Parliamentarian Chris Griesel “made a good ruling.”

Martinez said lawmakers shouldn’t rush anything.

Rep. Armando Martinez, D-Weslaco

“We don’t want a flawed bill. We don’t want any type of voter suppression or voter restriction,” Martinez said. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t restrict our voters.”

Groups who expressed opposition to the Voter ID bill during a legislative hearing earlier this month included the Texas NAACP; Network of Asian American Organizations; Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund; League of Women Voters of Texas; Texas League of Conservation Voters.

Support came from various Republican organizations and conservative groups.

Lawmakers have been trying since 2005 to pass a Voter ID bill. Democrats have been able to block the legislation in previous legislative sessions but a House GOP super majority this time makes passage likely.

The bill would require photo ID for most voters, with exemptions for Texans older than 70.

Harless acknowledged that people disagree on the merit of voting ID legislation but emphasized, “The lack of public confidence in our voting system cannot be questioned.”

The bill does not address mail-in ballots, which produces most of the prosecution against voter fraud, Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, said.

25 percent of African Americans, 18 percent of people over 65 and 15 percent of people earning less than $35,000 a year do not have a government-issued ID card, Anchia said, citing a Brennan Center for Justice Center at the New York University Law School.

The legislation does not address mail-in ballot fraud, where nearly all of the abuses exist, Anchia said.

He and other Democrats believe Voter ID efforts are thinly disguised attempts to suppress the votes of minorities.

Harless emphasized the bill is needed to restore people’s confidence in elections.